10 Hives Treatment Methods To Stop The Itch

Hives are a common skin condition with itchy bumps known as wheals. They’re usually surrounded by red, irritated skin. They shouldn’t blister or become painful, and when you press one, it should look white, says Gary B. Carpenter, MD. Hives may be the first sign of an allergy to a drug, food, stinging or biting insect, or something inhaled, such as pollen, mold, dust mites, cockroaches, or animal dander. (Here's the 9 weirdest things people are allergic to.)

Some hives develop after physical contact with an allergen. A friendly dog lick can raise an angry hive on someone allergic to dog saliva. Heat, emotions, exercise, and anything else that increases bloodflow to the skin can make hives more severe. The wheals invariably move up around the body and can occur anywhere. They spontaneously disappear and appear somewhere else. Once the allergen or infection is eliminated from the body, the hives will disappear within days or weeks. In the meantime, try these hives treatments to reduce the itch and swelling.

Send Antihistamines To The Rescue

Over-the-counter antihistamines cetirizine (Zyrtec) and loratadine (Alavert, Claritin) can effectively ease the itch, says Carpenter. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) also works well, especially when it’s taken before bedtime. It can cause drowsiness, so refrain from use if you must drive.

Cool Down

Cold compresses can make hives disappear by dousing the flames of heat, exercise, and emotions that make hives worse, says Carpenter. The cold shrinks the blood vessels, which decreases blood supply to the skin. Apply a cold compress for as long as is comfortable, usually 10 to 30 minutes.

Use Calamine Lotion

This astringent is famous for taking the itch out of poison ivy, but it may help temporarily soothe the itch of your hives as well. Just like cold compresses, astringents lessen blood supply to the skin, says Carpenter. Other astringents that may help hives are witch hazel and zinc oxide.

Try The Alkaline Answer

Anything that’s alkaline will usually help relieve the itch. So just dab some milk of magnesia on your hives, says Carpenter.

Help With Hydrocortisone

If you have just a few small hives, a hydrocortisone cream like Cortaid applied directly may relieve the itching for a while, says Jerome Z. Litt, MD.

Take A Bath

Soaking in a lukewarm tub of water with colloidal oatmeal can help temporarily, says Carpenter. Tepid water between 70°F and 95°F is cooler than normal body temperature and, when combined with evaporation from the skin, will reduce bloodflow and itching. The colloidal oatmeal is a good general anti-itch therapy, says Carpenter. (Here's 5 more science-backed reasons to take a bath tonight.)

Do You Need To Call A Doctor When You Have Hives?

Hives are rarely life-threatening, but they can be part of a larger allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, says Carpenter. Anaphylaxis involves the entire body, and can cause fainting, wheezing, shortness of breathe, an imminent feeling of death, or closing of airways. If you have any symptoms of anaphylaxis, call 911 immediately. If you’re inclined to this kind of reaction, you should be under a doctor’s care and carry epinephrine. If you have only hives and the discomfort isn’t eased by over-the-counter medications, consult your doctor, who can prescribe medication such as corticosteroids to treat the hives' reaction, says Carpenter. If the hives become chronic (lasting longer than 6 weeks), you may need to see an allergist or dermatologist who can help pinpoint the cause. Hives can kill by blocking breathing passages. If you get hives in your mouth or throat, call 911 immediately.

Panel Of Advisors

Gary B. Carpenter, MD, is a board-certified allergist-immunologist and clinical associate professor of internal medicine and community and family medicine at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. He is currently practicing at the Quincy Medical Group in Quincy, Illinois.

Jerome Z. Litt, MD, is a dermatologist and assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland and author of Your Skin: From Acne to Zits.

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